Pessary.



' PATENTED APR. 28, 1903- L. HERING.

PESSARY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY '1. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED Srnrss PATENT OFFICE.-

LEONARD HERI-NG, O'FISLE ST. GEORGE, OHIO.

PESSARY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,532, dated April 28, 1903.

Application filed May 7, 1902. Serial No. 1061359; (No model.)

T0 at whom it nay concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD HERING, a cm: zen of the United States, residing at Isle St. George, in the county of Ottawa and State of Ohio,have invented a new and usefulPessary, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improve ments in pessaries of that class in which external supports are employed to hold the pessary in position.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved support which will permit of the free escape of all discharges from the uterus.

A further object is to render the device readily adjustable to the physical character istics of the wearer; and a still further object is to provide an improved form of support which will permit freedom of movement of the wearer and will not cause any inconvenience when the weareris seated.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pessary and its support constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the pessary. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan View of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig, 2 and drawn to a somewhat larger scale in.

orderto more clearly illustrate theconstruction. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View of one of the beltclips, drawn to'an exaggerated scale.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The cup 10 is formed of hard rubber or a suitable non-corrosive metal and is shaped to conform to the contour of the lower portion of the uterus, the latter entering and resting in the cup in such position that any discharges may readily pass through the central opening 11 of the stem 12 and thence through the radial openings 13 in the wall of the stem.

The stem 12 has a slight forward curve as it approaches the cup and is provided with a central bore 13 for the reception of an internally-threaded tube 14, having at its lower end an enlarged head or knob 15, provided with a central opening alining with the opening of the tube. The stem is provided with a circular recess for the reception of the similarly-shaped head of a bolt or screw 16, the threaded portion of which is adapted to the internal threads of the tube 14. The lower end of the screw is chisel-pointed, as indi cated at 17, and is adapted to enter a V-shaped slot in the end of a key 18, which may be inserted into the tube to engage with and turn the screw, and in this manner adjust the distancebetween the cup and the lower knob 15 to suit the wearer.

When the device is in use, the pessary is inserted until the knob 15 is partly Within the mouth of the vagina, and the screw is then turned to effect a proper adjustment. As the knob protrudes but a short distance the patient may assume a sitting position without discomfort and without tendency to exert injurious pressure on any part of the body.

To support the pessary in place, I employ a belt comprising a rear section 201 and two front sections 21, the latter being widened and padded at their adjacent ends, as indicated at 22, in order to present a comparatively large surface to the body and act, in a measure, as an abdominal support. The two front sections are united by spaced elastic bands 23, and the side portions of the front and rear sections are connected by straps 24, preferably of elastic material, and having buckles or similar adjusting devices 25.

To the enlarged portion 22 of the front sections and to the rear section 20 are socured flexible tabs 26, each being secured in place by stitching along its upper edge only, and in each tab are secured two (preferably metallic) eyelets 27, through which-pass the end portions of compressible tubes 28, formed of rubber. Two of these tubes are employed,

each passing from the front to the rear of the belt on the same side of the body, the lower loops of the tubes passing through slightlycurved openings 30, formed in the knobs 15, said openings being of a diameter less than that of the tubes, so that the latter will be compressed within the openings and held firmly in place. The openings of the eyelets 27 are likewise of smaller diameter than the tubes, so that the latter will be positively held in place against all ordinary strains, the tubes stretching longitudinallyin some cases when subjected to abnormal strain without loosening the fastenings.

The securing devices are so arranged that by exerting a direct pull on the tubes by grasping the knob or tabs in one hand and the tube in the other the tubes may be moved to effect any desired adjustment.

The construction is such as to permit the adjustment of both the pessary and its supporting devices to accommodate the physical characteristics of the wearer and permit the wearing of the pessary without any discomfort or annoyance.

While the construction herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is the preferred form of the device, it is obvious that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. The combination in a pcssary, of the cup having a central opening, a stem secured thereto and having, discharge-openingscommunicating with the cup-opening, a revoluble screw carried by the stem, a threaded tube mounted on the screw and adapted to a guiding-opening in the stem, a removable adjusting-key adapted to engage the screw, and means for supporting the pessary.

2. The combination in a pessary, of the receiving cup having a central opening, a curved stem having discharge-openings communicating with the cup-opening, the lower portion of said stem having a tube-guiding bore, a screw swiveled in the stem and having a lower chisel-point, a removable adj usting-key for engaging said screw, an internally-threaded tube guided in the bore of the stem and engaging said screw, and a knob arranged on the lower portion of the tube for the reception of supporting devices.

3. The combination with a stem-pessary having a perforated knob at its lower end, of compressible elastic tubes extending through the perforations and of a normal diameter greater than that of the perforations, said perforations being arranged on curved lines to increase the friction in the tubes, and means for supporting the end portions of said tubes.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my s gnature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEN. HERING.

Witnesses:

OTTO PAPE, FRED F. EMBSE. 

